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Conflict Resolution

Patrick Callahan
Initial Publication Date: April 29, 2016

Summary

Students will be introduced to conflict resolution for climate change adaptation. Guest lecturer Peter T. Coleman, Director of the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution at Columbia University's Teachers College and Director of the Advanced Consortium for Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity at The Earth Institute at Columbia University, will lead the class in a conceptual model for conflict resolution. The technique applied in class is known as constructive controversy.

Also see teaching materials.


Learning Goals

Learning Objective

In this lesson, students will:

  • Identify the conflicts related to climate change resolution
  • Understand how to strategically approach the climate change controversy.
  • Explore the constructive controversy that complicates climate change resolution

Context for Use

See Teaching Notes.

Description and Teaching Materials


Conflict Lesson Plan (Microsoft Word 44kB Nov27 15)

Teaching Notes and Tips


Assessment

For this class, the reading assignment has been reduced and students do not need to post a response because pre-assigned groups, A and B, will meet before class and conduct independent research, as follows:

  1. Read the chapter assigned (see link below)
    meet in your 2 groups
  2. Group A: research and create a defense of the idea that there is a strong link between climate change and conflict
    Group B: research and create a defense of the idea that there is no link between climate change and conflict.
  3. Cite sources
  4. Remember to apply ideas/techniques from the course reading

References and Resources

Assigned Student Preparation

Read >>Constructive Controversy: The Value of Intellectual Opposition . Available through Columbia's Courseworks: https://courseworks.columbia.edu/ (23 pages)

Citation

Callahan, P. (2012). Conflict Resolution.